By Rhea Lodhiya
NSD passout Rupal Patel reveals how her long and impressive repertoire boasts a Gujarati show that helped her land the unforgettable role of heavily kohled, slick-haired, strong-minded Kokilaben whose insanely viral meme has taken the internet by storm
The only thing that the Nation wants to know this week is: ‘Rasode mein kaun thha?’. Locked in due to coronavirus pandemic, India found momentary relief in the insanely viral meme that saw the heavily kohled, slick-haired Kokilaben Modi stridently rapping to know why Rashi threw away the ‘chana’ and put an empty cooker on the gas. But, the star of this pressure-cooker situation Rupal Patel, who immortalised Kokilaben Modi in pop culture legacy, never thought she would become an internet sensation.
The 45-year-old, who unlike her peers has no presence on any social media platform, had no clue that she got memed till her friends and family showed her the viral video. In a bored moment, musician and online creator Yashraj Mukhate turned one of her scenes from the daily soap Saath Nibhaana Saathiya into a 57-second rap piece. The video went viral and was appreciated by everyone from Smriti Irani to Kartik Aaryan. Even politicians were not immune to it with Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera winning over Twitter with his ‘rasoda’ jibe.
Patel’s first reaction to the meme was one of amusement. “I was both shocked and surprised to see the video as the dialogue in the original scene was very serious; it was an argument. With just some editing, it turned into a beautiful rap video. So, I traced Yashraj and called him to praise him for the beautiful creation. I am humbled and grateful to my darling audience and listeners who have shown so much love and affection,” says Patel, who always wanted to be an actor.I was both shocked and surprised to see the video. With just some editing, it turned into a beautiful rap video. So, I traced Yashraj and called him to praise him for the beautiful creation
“It was a childhood dream and there was no other choice when it came to choosing a profession,” said the actor. “Nobody from my family is in the industry, but it was always my dream to become an actor. Through school and college, I participated in several fancy dress and drama competitions,” Patel shares. When it came to turn acting into a career, it was her father who advised her to get professional training if she wanted to become an actor. “I got into the National School of Drama in Delhi, and as they say, the rest is history.”
Online creator Yashraj Mukhate turned a scene from ‘Saath Nibhaana Saathiya’ into a 57-sec rap piece. It went viral and was appreciated by everyone from Smriti Irani to Kartik Aaryan
The Gujarat connection
Despite being born and brought up in Mumbai, Rupal Patel is a “proud Gujarati”. “I have visited Ahmedabad and Rajkot. I have been to the Somnath temple in Dwarka. I love Gujarati food, the festivals, the dressing up, the ghaghra-cholis... I love everything about our culture,” she reveals.
In fact, her long and impressive repertoire also boasts a Gujarati TV show, Sau Dada Sasuna. “Gujarati is my mother tongue, and I feel very proud to have played the main role in a Gujarati show. Initially, I had said no to the script as I was engaged in another project (Shagun, her first TV show). However, producer Mehul Kumar insisted that I should hear the script. He called me a couple of times. Since he is a big personality, I decided to meet him as I did not want to show any disrespect. But when I heard the script and character, I realised that I just had to be part of the show.”
She played protagonist Aashalata Sheth in Sau Dada Sasuna — a role and show she is proud to be associated with. Interestingly, it was immediately after this show, that she received a call from Star Plus asking her to audition for Saath Nibhaana Saathiya.
Being Kokila Modi
The channel had reached out to her saying they were looking for someone who could play the role of Kokilaben, the mother-in-law. “I was fortunate to land the role. It happened very simply and very easily,” she recalls.
Set in Rajkot, Saath Nibhaana Saathiya is the story of a typical Gujarati joint family. On the show, Patel played the role of Kokilaben Modi, the strict and strong-minded matriarch of the family.
Having played Kokila in the show that ran for 7 years, Patel holds the character quite close to her heart. “Portraying Kokila on the show was the journey of a lifetime. As an artist, you tend to perform various characters, but only few of them are lifetime roles. Kokila Modi’s role is one of the greatest achievements as an actor.”
Guess what? After the meme made Saath Nibhaana Saathiya the talk of every household, its producers confirmed that season two of the iconic daily soap is on the cards. However, unlike the ‘rasode mein kaun thha’ mystery, whether Rupal Patel will join the star cast and continue to entertain us as Kokila Modi is a question that only time can answer.
Gujarati is my mother tongue, and I feel very proud to have played the main role in a Gujarati show. I love Gujarati food, Gujarati festivals, the dressing up, the ghaghra-cholis...
The Link LonkAugust 30, 2020 at 07:30AM
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The ‘me’ in the Kokilaben meme - Ahmedabad Mirror
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Meme
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